Utah State’s Chuckie Keeton to be honored at halftime of the Sugar Bowl

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State senior quarterback Chuckie Keeton is one of just 22 college football players, including one of 11 from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), that will be honored at halftime of this year’s Sugar Bowl as a member of the 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®.

The 2015 Sugar Bowl will be played on January 1, 2015 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La., and serve as a semifinal in the College Football Playoff. The 81st Sugar Bowl will match the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Ohio State Buckeyes wit the winner advancing to the College Football Playoff Championship Game. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN and kickoff at 6:30 pm (MT).

As a member of the 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, Keeton and the other 21 college football players that make up this team will participate in a community event with children from the YMCA of Greater New Orleans and be honored at the Allstate Fan Fest on New Year’s Eve, before being recognized on the field at halftime of the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Overall, Keeton is the only player from the state of Utah to be honored by Allstate and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), and one of just two Mountain West players recognized along with Wyoming senior wide receiver Dominic Rufran.

This prestigious college football award pays tribute to a select group of student-athletes who have worked to positively impact the lives of others. The 22 players honored with this distinct recognition have not only dedicated their time to succeeding on the field, but have made a commitment to enriching the lives of others while contributing to the greater good of their communities.

For more than two decades the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has been one of the most esteemed awards in college sports. This summer, the program received a record 182 nominations from colleges and universities across the country. A voting panel comprised of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and college football media reviewed the nominees in an effort to select 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA to comprise the 22-player team.

“Allstate takes an immense amount of pride in working with the AFCA to recognize these student-athletes for their good works that have made a positive impact on communities across the country and, in some cases, across the world,” said Jim Haskins, president of Allstate’s West Territory and a member of the 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel. “Allstate is a proud supporter of NCAA football and it is an honor to award these young men for inspiring us all with their character and work ethic both on and off the field.”

Keeton, a 6-2, 200-pounder quarterback from Houston, Texas (Cypress Creek HS) played in just three games this season due to injury and was 51-of-92 passing for 426 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions. He also carried the ball 20 times for 81 yards with one touchdown.

For his career, Keeton ranks first all-time in school history in completion percentage (.654), second all-time in touchdown passes (58), second all-time in completions (568), third all-time in total offense (7,621 yards), third all-time in passing yards (6,387), fourth all-time in passing attempts (869) and 20th all-time in rushing yards (1,234).

During his sophomore season in 2012, Keeton set single-season school records for touchdown passes (27), passing yards (3,373), completions (275), completion percentage (.676) and total offense (3,992 yards), while tying the single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 121 yards at Louisiana Tech as he earned first-team all-Western Athletic Conference honors.

Off the field, Keeton serves as a football Student-Athletes Advisory Committee (SAAC) Representative providing a voice for his teammates and fellow student-athletes on pending policy and rules changes and other topics the athletic administration seeks feedback on. During the 2013-2014 academic year, he was a member of the Mountain West SAAC, serving as Utah State’s student-athlete representative.

Keeton is also actively involved in community outreach doing service events with local elementary schools to help celebrate the reading achievements of its students, along with being an active participant with numerous events on campus working with youth and women’s clinics, and raising awareness for such things as cancer, sexual assault and sexual abuse of women.

Fans can follow the Aggie football program at twitter.com/USUFootball, on Facebook at facebook.com/USUFootball or on Instagram at instagram.com/usufootball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at facebook.com/USUAthletics.

The following players have been selected to the 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®:

<span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A)</span>

<em>Name Cl. Pos. School Hometown</em>

Jeffrey Coprich So. RB California Watts, Calif.

Laken Tomlinson Sr. OL Duke Chicago, Ill.

Chris Conley Sr. WR Georgia Dallas, Ga.

Max Godby Sr. OL Kentucky Louisville, Ky.

Deterrian Shackelford GS LB Ole Miss Decatur, Ala.

Sam Rodgers Sr. LS Syracuse State College, Pa.

Nate Boyer Sr. LS Texas Dublin, Calif.

Brett Hundley Jr. QB UCLA Chandler, Ariz.

Chuckie Keeton Sr. QB Utah State Houston, Texas

Andrew East Sr. LS Vanderbilt Indianapolis, Ind.

Dominic Rufran Sr. WR Wyoming Colorado Springs, Colo.

<span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA), Divisions II, III and NAIA</span>

<em>Name Cl. Pos. School Hometown</em>

Blake Padget Sr. OL Alma Westland, Mich.

Chris Tamasi Sr. LB Amherst Canton, Mass.

Joshua Perkins Sr. OL Bethel Iowa Falls, Iowa

Dan Casey Sr. LB Davidson Tega Cay, S.C.

Tyler Zeoli Sr. LB Holy Cross King of Prussia, Pa.

Ward Udinski Sr. QB Juniata Doylestown, Pa.

Spencer Knight Sr. RB Ouachita Baptist Arkadelphia, Ark.

Zach Zenner Sr. RB South Dakota St. Eagan, Minn.

Phil Faccone Sr. LS Wagner Brick, N.J.

Eric Mapoles Jr. LB Wingate Snellville, Ga.

Ryan Gerts Sr. LB Winona State Bloomingdale, Ill.

-USU-

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